Word Origin & History

awaken O.E. awæcnan (intrans.), "to spring into being," also, less often, "to wake up;" earlier onwæcnan, from a- (1) "on" + wæcnan (see waken). Transitive meaning "to rouse from sleep" is recorded from 1510s; figurative sense of "to stir up, rouse to activity" is from c.1600. Originally strong declension (p.t. awoc, pp. awacen), already in O.E. it was confused with awake (v.) and a weak p.t. awæcnede (modern awakened) emerged and has since become the accepted p.t. form, with awoke and awoken transferred to awake. Subtle shades of distinction determine the use of awake or ...awaken in modern English. Related: Awakening.